Album Review

The first volume of GRP's Larry Carlton Collection takes the listener from the beginning of his solo career up to 1990. Starting off with one cut from his first Warner Bros. album, Larry Carlton, the collection goes on to include two tracks each from Sleepwalk and Friends, two each from the acoustic guitar albums Alone/But Never Alone and Discovery, and one from On Solid Ground. In addition, the CD throws in two then-new tracks, "Small Town Girl" and "For Heaven's Sake" — pleasant melodic pieces with acoustic guitar lead, nothing extraordinary. Along the way, you'll hear some very catchy tunes long identified with Carlton ("Smiles and Smiles to Go," "High Steppin'," and "Minute by Minute"), a mellower rendition of "Nite Crawler" than the version he recorded as a Crusader, and the relaxed, funky "Bubble Shuffle." For some changes of pace, there is an affectionate tribute to the surf sounds from near his hometown of Torrance ("Sleepwalk"), and one harder-edged number, "Blues for TJ," that finds Carlton crossing swords with B.B. King virtually as an equal. Mostly, though, this is ingratiating smooth jazz that very often transcends the conventions of the idiom. ~ Richard S. Ginell, Rovi

Biography

Born: 02 March 1948 in Torrance, CA

Genre: Jazz

Years Active: '70s, '80s, '90s, '00s, '10s

Like so many other Los Angeles studio musicians, guitarist and composer Larry Carlton was faced with a choice a number of years back: whether to go solo and develop a name for himself, or to continue the less risky, more lucrative existence of a session guitarist, making good money and recording with prominent musicians. Fortunately for fans of this eclectic guitarist, he chose the...